Daily Current Affairs for Competitive Exams – 23 March 2018

1. New Delhi among top destinations globally for 2018.

New Delhi has been ranked 22nd in the world and eighth in Asia in the top destination for 2018, Travellers’ Choice awards for Destinations by TripAdvisor.

New Delhi the capital of India was ranked 22nd in TripAdvisors’ top 25 travellers choice of destinations list for this year offering alluring Mughal minarets, magnificent colonial-era buildings and flourishing culture.

Paris in France topped the list of Travellers’ Choice awards for Destinations followed by London (UK), Rome (Italy), Bali (Indonesia), Crete (Greece).

2. MNRE to set up 65,180 biogas plants in current year under the National Biogas and Manure Management Programme (NBMMP) .

The National Biogas and Manure Management Programme (NBMMP) aims at setting up of family type biogas plants for providing biogas as clean cooking fuel and a source of lighting. The slurry produced from biogas plants as a by-product is an organic bio-manure for enhancing crop yield and maintaining soil health.

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has fixed an annual physical target of setting up 65,180 biogas plants for the current year 2017-18 under the NBMMP.

3. India’s Elavenil Valarivan wins gold in ISSF Junior World Cup.

Indian shooter Elavenil Valarivan shattered the world record and claimed the gold medal in 10m women’s air rifle event of the season’s first junior ISSF World Cup.

Besides her individual podium finish, Elavenil also combined with Shreya Agrawal and Zeena Khitta to claim the team gold medal.

Arjun Babuta bagged his second junior world cup medal, claiming a bronze in men’s 10m air rifle event.

The Ministry of Tourism has identified following 12 sites for development under Iconic Tourist Sites Project:

Taj Mahal & Fatehpur Sikri (Uttar Pradesh)

Ajanta and Ellora (Maharashtra)

Humayun Tomb, Qutub Minar and Red Fort (Delhi)

Colva Beach (Goa)

Amer Fort (Rajasthan)

Somnath and Dholavira (Gujarat)

Khajuraho (Madhya Pradesh)

Hampi (Karnataka)

Mahablipuram (Tamil Nadu)

Kaziranga (Assam)

Kumarakom (Kerala)

Mahabodhi Temple (Bihar)

This information was given by Shri K. J. Alphons, Union Minister of State (I/C) for Tourism in a written reply in Rajya Sabha.

5. India successfully flight tests supersonic cruise missile BrahMos.

India today successfully test fired the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile with an indigenous ‘seeker’ at Rajasthan’s Pokhran test range, enhancing the country’s capability to hit enemy targets at a range of up to 400 km.

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the missile hit the target with “pin-point” accuracy and the success will further bolster India’s national security.

6. NMCG Awarded Certificate of Appreciation.

NMCG Awarded Certificate of Appreciation for “Encouragement and Appreciation of the Efforts in Ganga Rejuvenation” During Water Digest Water Awards 2017-18.

Minister of State for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal has stressed upon the efficient use of finite water resources in the country. Emphasizing upon the importance of water in every walk of life, the Minister said it is central to all questions of life.

7. Drdo Pavilion Adjudged As Most Informative at 105th Indian Science Congress.

Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) has received the ‘Most Informative Pavilion’ Award in Pride of India Expo organized as part of the 105th Indian Science Congress held from 16 to 20 March 2018 at Manipur University, Imphal. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi had inaugurated this annual mega event on 16 March 2018.

DRDO participated in the expo showcasing cutting-edge indigenous defence technologies with over 150 exhibits and models from 18 DRDO laboratories. The DRDO pavilion at the Expo was a big attraction among the visitors particularly students, who got opportunity to interact with DRDO scientists. The scientists engaged the visitors in the lively discussions on science and technologies.